Cardano (ADA), launched in September 2017, is the native cryptocurrency of the Cardano blockchain, a decentralized, open-source Layer 1 blockchain designed for smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Founded by Charles Hoskinson, Cardano emphasizes academic rigor, sustainability, and scalability. ADA powers transaction fees, staking, and governance, supporting a growing ecosystem with $1.2B in total value locked (TVL).

Key Features

  • High Scalability: Processes up to 1,000 transactions per second (TPS) with Hydra scaling, targeting millions TPS.
  • Low Fees: Average transaction cost of ~$0.17, competitive for DeFi and NFT use.
  • Proof-of-Stake (PoS): Ouroboros consensus ensures energy efficiency, with 3,000+ stake pools.
  • Ecosystem: Hosts 138,000+ smart contracts, 8,000+ tokens, and projects like SNEK and World Mobile.

ADA Token

  • Purpose: Used for transaction fees, staking rewards, and governance voting in the Voltaire era.
  • Supply: Circulating supply of ~36 billion ADA, with a max supply of 45 billion.
  • Contract Address: Native to Cardano;
  • CoinGecko CMC. Add to wallets like Daedalus or Yoroi.

Who Are the Founders of Cardano?

Cardano was co-founded by Charles Hoskinson, Jeremy Wood, and Aggelos Kiayias in 2015, with development led by Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK). Funded by a $60M ICO in 2017, Cardano is supported by the Cardano Foundation and IOHK. Hoskinson, a former Ethereum co-founder, drives its research-first approach.

What Makes Cardano Unique?

Cardano stands out for its academic approach:

  • Research-Driven: Peer-reviewed protocols, with 190+ academic papers, ensure robust design.
  • Ouroboros PoS: Energy-efficient consensus, distributing rewards across 3,000+ stake pools.
  • Voltaire Governance: Introduces a treasury and voting system, making Cardano self-sustaining.
  • Interoperability: Unreal Engine 4/5 plugins and cross-chain bridges enhance dApp development.

ADA Network Upgrades (2025)

  • Chang Hard Fork (Q1 2025): Completed Voltaire transition, enabling community governance and treasury voting.
  • Hydra Scaling (June 2025): Boosted TPS to 1,000, with sub-second finality for DeFi and gaming dApps.
  • ETF Proposals (June 2025): Nasdaq proposed adding ADA to Hashdex Crypto ETF, increasing volume by 33.8% to $776M daily.

How Is ADA Secured?

Cardano and ADA are secured through:

  • Ouroboros PoS: Validators stake ADA to secure the network, with rewards for honest behavior.
  • Decentralized Stake Pools: Over 3,000 pools globally, with no single entity controlling consensus.
  • Formal Verification: Haskell-based code undergoes rigorous academic audits for security.
  • Governance: ADA holders vote on upgrades, ensuring decentralized control and evolution.

Conclusion

Cardano (ADA) powers a scalable, research-driven blockchain for smart contracts, DeFi, and dApps. With its Ouroboros PoS, peer-reviewed protocols, and Voltaire governance, Cardano offers a sustainable alternative to Ethereum. Recent upgrades like Hydra and ETF proposals give it a niche in the crypto market.